She put her cup in the sink, placed a lettuce leaf at the bottom of Sir Jack’s cage, then left the house singing.

  By the time Belle entered The Beanery—opening and closing the door twice, smiling at the sound of the jingling bell—her spirits were up. She smiled at the little shop, whispering to herself, “I’m thankful for this small shop. Thankful for the table and chairs and the bountiful coffee I can drink for free.” Then she burst out, “Grandma got run over by a reindeer, coming home from my house Christmas Eve—”

  Bixby exited the kitchen. “You can say there’s no such thing as Santa,” then together, they finished off the verse. “But as for me and Grandpa, we believe.”

  Then she laughed, amazed at the peace she felt compared to earlier this morning.

  “Someone’s in a good mood,” Bixby stated, as he poured two mugs, adding the latest flavor of creamer. He brought them over to the table and they sat across from each other.

  The creamy goodness was still swirling into a white bloom, turning the coffee a light caramel color. She sipped, letting the chocolatey goodness with a hint of peppermint make her spirits even brighter. She peered at Bixby over her cup, the curl in his soft brown hair was more pronounced as he needed a trim, and she couldn’t help but notice the hint of sadness simmering behind his eyes. The holidays might be hard not only for her, but her friends, too.

  “How about we spend Christmas Eve together. We go to the evening church service, then head back to my house for lots of yummy food. I’ll make sugar cookies—” She stopped herself from listing more cookies or activities they could do because of the look on his face. She could tell the answer was no by the increased sadness—and was it pity?

  He sighed. “I’d love to, but my cousin invited me to spend the holidays with them.” He bit his lip as if he wanted to offer more background, but he didn’t.

  “Oh.” She tried and surely failed to hide her disappointment. “That’s okay.” She drained the last of her coffee, then studied the ceiling and the windows. “How about we get started decorating? We could do the lights first?”

  “What about music?” he asked.

  “Well…what if we start with instrumental music? That way it wouldn’t be too obvious or obnoxious as people enter.”

  “Right. Some don’t want Christmas music until the day before Christmas if that.”

  “That’s a losing battle, considering it’s everywhere starting in early November.”

  He fetched the lights from a box in the kitchen. Using a stool stored in the back, carefully and slowly, they strung the lights across the ceiling. In previous years, he’d hammered in tiny hooks so it was a somewhat easy job. She couldn’t wait to see the final outcome, the soft glow always brought such a cozy atmosphere.

  Next, she smoothed the decals she’d purchased against the spaces where there were windows. She loved the snow-tipped tree and cute little woodland animals. It didn’t take long to finish those jobs. “Do we need anything else?”

  Bixby stood back and studied their work. “It’s good for now. Maybe a wreath at the door? Something not too big.”

  “I think they sell them at Steele’s.” She thought about her new friends in the small business community. Dahlia and Darren, siblings, ran the hardware store.

  “Is that small business meeting today?” Bixby asked.

  “Yes, it is. I almost forgot.” They want to plan how to boost and encourage people to shop locally. “I’ll pick up a wreath today.”

  That was when Belle caught a bright red flash of color from the small parking lot outside. Of course, she had seen plenty of people who loved Christmas and dressed for the season whether it be a cozy red sweater or an ugly sweater. Some wore an elegant necklace of blinking lights. They were eye-catching but not obnoxious. The man outside was a spectacle.

  He stood at well over six feet, bean-pole thin. His slicked-back sandy-colored hair reminded Belle of hairstyles from the days of Elvis. But it wasn’t his height or hairstyle that ultimately caught her attention.

  It was the fact he was dressed like a candy cane.

  Not a costume, but close. His suit of silk was pinstriped with red and white. The lines didn’t cut straight across or run vertically, they swirled at a slant like a candy cane. It created a dizzying effect.

  “Bixby,” she hissed. “Come look.”

  He appeared at her side. “Now that is called dressing for the season.”

  Together, they watched as someone approached him. This person was literally dressed in a candy-cane costume, the face painted red; it was hard to see the features or tell if the walking peppermint stick was male or female. Compared to the man’s slick pinstriped suit, this costume was big and bulky. Belle couldn’t imagine it was comfortable or easy to move around in. Never mind the body heat.

  As they drew near to one another, the person in costume broke out in a small dance; they were singing a tune, Belle couldn’t quite make out the words. Sounded like “We Wish you a Merry Christmas” with original words substituted.

  “Must be a Christmas gram,” Bixby said. “But why here, in a parking lot? Isn’t the point to embarrass someone at the office or in the larger public?”

  “Yes, and look at his reaction,” Belle said, practically pressing her nose to the glass.

  The man in no way looked happy. He frowned and it looked strange, marring his face when his suit was so bright and cheery. He spit out a few words and his hands frantically moved in front of him as if that could communicate his thoughts better than words.

  The candy cane seemed to take that as an invitation. The person started dancing, wiggling side to side. It appeared to be hard to pull any trendy moves with a costume so restricting. A laugh escaped. “Remind me to scratch off a candy cane costume if I ever desire to dress like that for a party.”

  “Don’t worry, I will.”

  The scene continued, growing stranger as another man exited a car parked in one of The Beanery’s few spots, like he’d been waiting for the perfect dramatic moment. He wore a pin-striped suit of green, the same style and polish as the first man. He was also tall, but his hair had more poof.

  He strode over to the candy cane, his expression angry, brows lowered. He acted like a bodyguard the way he stepped between the two. He motioned and shooed the person away, but the candy cane wouldn’t take the hint. As the second man talked, the candy cane sang louder, jumping up and down, since that was the only possible dance move, and waved red-sleeved arms from the sides of the costume.

  The candy cane tried to step closer, but the man in green blocked the way. The singing stopped and the man dressed in red pinstripes headed toward the door, while the in green pinstripes stayed behind, deep in a furious conversation with the person in costume.

  “Trouble comes our way,” Bixby whispered, then left for the kitchen. “I’ll have Lucas on speed dial. Just in case.”

  “Chicken!” Belle hissed, then laughed, at Bixby’s retreating back.

  Belle watched as the men, their faces angry, annoyed, stalked toward the shop. She scurried behind the counter ready to greet them with a cheery smile.

  Now, the candy cane had stopped singing and dancing, instead the person moved their arms and yelled.

  Just as the man in red pinstripes opened the door, Belle caught the words, a shrill threat. The voice was female and her shriek echoed through the small shop. “I’ll strangle you with the tinsel you love so much, Bartholomew Bliss, if you don’t give it all back.”

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  Peppermint Mocha Murder

  There are more cozy mysteries waiting for you!!

  A ten-book series filled with scrumptious cheesecake, murder, friendships, frenemies, witty banter, and a dash of romance.

  Start with book 1, Footprints in the Frosting!

  Yes, it was murder. No, she had nothing to do with it.

  With the opening day of her boutique cheesecake shop delayed, Holly Hart deals with the local hot cop, as she puts her sleuthing skills to the test to save her business and her name.

  Start reading today!!

  Find out how it all began for Holly Hart in the prequel.

  Join my newsletter to read Murder with a Slice of Cheesecake, an exclusive prequel to the Holly Hart Mysteries.

  ALSO BY LAURA

  HOLLY HART COZY MYSTERY

  Footprints in the Frosting

  Deadly Independence

  Frosted on the Ferris Wheel

  Fruitcake and Foul Play

  Poison in the Pastry

  Catered to Death

  Pie Crust and Peril

  Lemon Meringue and Murder

  Coffee Cake and Clues

  Tiramisu and Trouble

  BARON & GRAYSTONE MYSTERY

  Caramel Macchiato Murder

  Macadamia Fudge Murder

  Chocolate Raspberry Murder

  Pumpkin Spice Murder

  Peppermint Mocha Murder

  ROMANTIC MYSTERY (in Paris!)

  A Spy Like Me

  Heart of an Assassin

  Twist of Fate

  Vanishing Point

  A Royal Con

  ROMANTIC COMEDY

  Prom Impossible

  Prompossible Plans

  Covert Kissing

  Secrets & Sabotage

  ABOUT LAURA

  I write cozy mysteries with heart and humor. I love a lot of things about writing and reading stories that have mystery and romance. I love the puzzle of a whodunnit and witty banter between characters who love to hate each other. Especially, when they don’t know they are falling in love.

  If you love mystery and romance and strong women at the heart of the adventure, then visit www.laurapauling.com for all my books.

  If you want to know when I have a new release in a current series or the start of a new series then visit www.laurapauling.com and sign up for my newsletter.

 

 

  Laura Pauling, Pumpkin Spice Murder (a Baron & Graystone Mystery Book 4)

 

 

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